Destination Daytona is ground zero for motorcycle festivities

Saturday

Oct 19, 2013 at 12:01 AMOct 19, 2013 at 9:33 PM

By Mark I. Johnsonmark.johnson@news-jrnl.com

U.S. 1 NORTH — The thousands of bikers riding north in Ormond Beach are men and women on a mission, one that goes beyond a good time: to browse in the motorcycle version of a shopper’s paradise. On Friday around midday, standing amid vendors of motorcycle parts ranging from tires to tachometers, saddlebags to straight pipes, wheels to windscreens, Steve Leflore said if he is looking for a deal his destination of choice this Biketoberfest is Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona.“In this Internet era you can find anything online,” said the Miami resident. “But if you want a deal you come up here.”The vice-president of the Flaming Knights motorcycle club said while he can purchase various items for his bike almost anywhere and install them himself, it is cheaper and easier to have it done at Rossmeyer’s Harley-Davidson dealership or one of the other shops at the motorcycle mecca where U.S. 1 and Interstate 95 meet north of Ormond Beach.“This is the big event,” said five-year Rossmeyer veteran Don Gerbauck. “Here you have lots of vendors, lots of motorcycles and lots of people.”It was much the same story for the thousands of blue-jeaned and leather-clad visitors who wandered the aisles and browsed through the wide variety of merchandise on display to the right and left.“I come out here to see what is new,” Spring Hill biker Gary Lutman said as he weaved his way among his fellow bikers with his companion, Jane Hostler of Waverly, at his side.“There is more stuff out here,” said Hostler.But there are lots of other things to capture one’s attention at Destination Daytona including music, food and fun, said bartender Shauna McGregor, working at one of the outside beer stands.“There are lots of good places to ride up here, like the Ormond Loop,” she said as she served up cold libations to thirsty customers. “You also get to walk around with your drinks instead of having to sit at the bar. You can’t do that on Main Street.”One of Destination Daytona’s premier attractions during this weekend’s Biketoberfest festivities occurs at 9 p.m. Saturday when southern rock band Molly Hatchett takes the stage for a free concert.For riders looking for something other than tuning kits and T-shirts to be found at Destination Daytona, a mainstay of biker culture is just down the road to the south at the Iron Horse Saloon, which had its own crowd of motorcyclists coming and going through north U.S. 1’s congestive mix of two-wheeled and four-wheeled conveyances Friday.